Latch



' Aug. 14, 1945.

J. G. JOACHIM LATCH Filed April 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO R N EYS M/ 7 c 6 NNV F u 3 WW k 3 m 4 6 m E I w Y B 14, 1945- J. G. JOACHIM LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm I l I INVENTOR. JOSEPH GEORGE JOACHIM ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1945 The invention relates to latches especially for automobile doors and refers more particularly to latch actuating mechanisms.

The invention has for one of its objects to pro-.

vide an improved latch actuating mechanism.

having a handleof the pull-out type free from positive connection with the latch so that the handle when released in an. operating position may be returned to its normal position independently of the latch.

The invention has .for another object to.providean improved mechanism between the handle and the latch bolt for securing the required move-- ment of the latter with the desired leverage and also within the desiredrange of angular movement of the handle whereby the latch bolt may be readily and easily moved to released position; The invention has for a further object to provide an improved mounting for the handle.

With these as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 is an outside elevation of a portion of an automobile door having applied thereto a latch and latch actuating mechanism embodying the T invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

3'3, 4-4 and 5 5, respectively," of Figure 2;

Figures 6 and 7 are cross sections on the lines- 6-6 and 1-1, respectively, of Figure 5.

As illustratedin the drawings, the automobile" door has the laterally spaced outside and inside panels land. 2 and the pillar. 3 extending between the panels at the swinging edge of the door and having the portion 4 connecting into the outside panel at an acute angle and the portion 5 connecting into the inside panel at an obtuse angle.

The latch has the latch plate 6 which is formed with the base 1 and the transverse flange 8, the base and flange being respectively secured to the inside panel 2 and the portion 5 of the pillar 3 by suitable means, such as the screws 9. I8 is the latch bolt slidably mounted on the base, it having the nose ll slidably extending through openings in the flange 8 and pillar portion 5 and a longitudinally extending slotted portion l2 through the slot of which extends the rivet l3. The length of the slot is such that when the bolt has been slid longitudinally to its released position the rivet will engage an end of the slot to Figures 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on the line limit any further movement of the bolt..' l4 is a roll-back for-moving thebolt to released position the roll-back being pivotally mounted on the base I I and engageable with the transverse'shoulder I5; formed on the bolt, For normally holdingthe bolt in its extended" or latching position, there is" the spring l6 secured to the base I and engaging a second transverse shoulder I! on the bolt.

7 The actuating mechanism for the latch comprises the actuating dog I8; the lever l9, and the handle 20. The dog I8 is pivotal ly mounted at its upper end upon the transverse flange 3 near its lower end by means of the rivet 21,; Thedog extends transversely of the roll-back and-has I the projection 22 located below and abutting the transverse lug on the roll-back. The lever I8 is freely or loosely pivotally connected at its upper end to the upper end of the transverse flange 8 by the rivet 24 which is fixed to'th'e transverse flange and extends through the longitudinally. extending slot 25in the lever. Also =the lever I9 is' pivotally connected at its lower end to the lowerfi 1 portion of the dog [8 by the rivet 26; the lever;-

overlying the dog and being positioned to clear the head of the rivet 2 I. The lever 19 is provided with the transverse abutment 21 intermdiateits pivots and located adjacent the supporting pivot 2| of the dog l8. a

The handle 28 is of the pull-out type and is-v formed of suitable materiaL-such as. metal'or. reinforced plastic, the handle, as shown, being formed of cast zinc, The handlehasthe grip; portion 28 located generally in front of andclose'ei ly adjacent to the outside panel I, which is pref-w,

erablyformed with the p0cket;29 to facilitate graspingthe grip portion. It is apparent that if:,

it is desired to produce a .stream-line'efiect. the outside panel may be formed witha pocket tog-. completelyreceive. the handle. 'lh-ehandle has-1;;

the rounded nose 3' for rolling engagement with the abutment 21 of the lever l9 upon swinging of the handle transversely of the outside panel. The handle is mounted directly on the escutcheon 3| which'has the hollow body 32 extending through the outside panel and the integral transverse peripheral flange 33 at the outside edge of the body and overlying and abutting the outside pahelat its outer side. The body has its end wall 34 nearest the pillar 3 formed with the tapped hole 35 and has its opposite end wall 38 forming a stop for abutting the handle when in its normal retracted position. The body also-has the lugs 31 extending from the inside edges of its side walls 38 adjacent the end wall 36 for pivotally mounting the handle on the escutcheon. As shown, the

' ear.

handle has the lugs it located between the lugs 31 and journaled on the pin II which extends through both pairs or loss. ll is a reinforcement plate iixedly secured to the outside panel I at its inner side'as by being welded thereto, this plate 1 sides or the escutcheon body with the wedges 43 which are adapted to be engaged by the shoulders it upon the escutcheon body. 45 is a screw extending through the pillar portion 4 and the ear 4! and into the tapped hole 38 in the adjacent end wall of the escutcheon body, the axis of the tapped hole being inclined to the length of the body and at right angles to the pillar portion and The construction is such that when the screw is tightened up it moves the escutcheon longitudinally relative to the outside panel toward the pillar and also moves the portion of the escutcheon adjacent the pillar transversely of the front panel and in an inward direction. Furthermore, the longitudinal movement of the escutcheon causes the shoulders 44 to ride up on the wedges 43. As a result, the peripheral flange 28 of the escutcheon is tightly clamped against the 1 outside of the outside panel. To return the handie to its normal retracted position, I have provided the spring 46 which has intermediate portions 41 coiled around the pin 40, a looped end portion engaging the handle, and transverse end portions 49 abutting the end wall 36 of the escutcheon body.

In operation, upon pulling the grip portion 28 of the handle 20 outwardly from the normal position of the handle, its nose 30 through the abutment 2'! swings the lower end of the lever l9 toward the latch, thereby swinging the actuating turned by its retracting sprin to normal poaition independently of the latch. As a result. sticking oi. the latch has no effect upon the handle to hold the latterout of normal retracted position. Also, by reason or actuating dog, lever and handle construction a powerful force canbe exerted on the latch bolt and the latter can be fully retracted with a relatively small pull-cu); movement 01 the handle. Furthermore, the con,- structlon of escutcheon and reinforcement plate and the mechanism for securing the escutcheon in place provides a simple effective mounting for the handle.

What I claim as my invention is: v

1. In a latch for a door having spaced outside and inside panels and a pillar therebetween, a

latch plate having a base and a transverse flange secured respectively to the inside panel and pillar,

a bolt carried by'said plate and actuating mechanism for said bolt comprising a dog and a lever pivotally mounted on said flange. and pivotally connected'to each other, said dog being opera-' tively connected to said bolt, and a pull-out dog It in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in l Figure 4. The projection 22 of the actuating dog swings the roll-back It in a clockwise direction,

as seen in Figure 3, through the abutment 21 and this roll-back slides the latch bolt III to retracted position. Upon release of the handle it will be returned to its normal position by the spring 46 and the roll-back will be returned to its normal position by the spring 50 which is secured to the base of the latch plate. This spring also serves to return the actuating dog and the lever to their normal positions. Also the spring It serves to return the latch bolt to its extended or latching position.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have provided an improved actuating mechanism for. a latch in which the handle is of the pull-out type and tree from positive connection with the latch whereby the handle may be rehandle movable transversely of the outside panel and operatively connected to said lever to actuate said bolt upon movement or said handle from normal position, said handle being movable to normal position independently of said bolt.

2. In a latch for a door having spaced outside and inside panels and a pillar therebetween, a latch plate upon the inside panel having a :base and a transverse flange, a bolt carried by said plate and actuating mechanism for said bolt comprising a pivotal dog extending transversely of the inside panel and operatively connected to said bolt, a pivotal lever pivotally connected tov said dog, a pivotal handle swingable transversely of the outside panel and having a portion in rolling abutment with said lever intermediate its pivots, and spring means for swinging said handle to normal position independently of said ever.

3. In a latch for a door having spaced outside and inside panels and a pillar therebetween, a latch plate on the inside panel having a base and a transverse flange, a bolt slidable on said plate,

a roll-back pivotally mounted on said plate for sliding said bolt to released position and actuating mechanism for said bolt comprising a dog pivotally mounted on said flange and having a portion for abutting said roll-back, a lever pivotally mounted on said flange and overlying and pivotally connected to said dog, and a handle pivotally mounted on the outside panel and swingable transversely thereof, said handle having a rounded nose for rolling engagement with said lever intermediate its pivots and adjacen said dog.

JOSEPH GEORGE JOACHIM. 

